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Advertisers and rural stations dump Alan Jones

MARK COLVIN: Advertisers are deserting Alan Jones' Sydney radio show as a public campaign against him continues to gain traction. Some rural stations have also said they won't rebroadcast it.

The fallout against the 2GB presenter has been driven by his statement that the Prime Minister's late father John Gillard died of shame because of his daughter's political lies.

The Federal Government has condemned the comments that the broadcaster made at a Young Liberals function, and say the Liberal Party also has to answer for his behaviour. But the Federal Opposition says the Government's attempt to link the controversy to Tony Abbott is appalling, and desperate.

From Canberra, political correspondent Anna Henderson reports.

ANNA HENDERSON: The public backlash against Alan Jones has been swift and costly. His pulling power, public profile and his apology haven't been enough to dampen the outcry against his assertion the Prime Minister's late father John Gillard died of shame because of her political lies.

MARK TAYLOR: I was a bit gobsmacked to be honest; I just thought I can't believe he said that. I didn't really think at the time that we would get the backlash that we've had, and now taking very serious notice of that.

ANNA HENDERSON: Mark Taylor is the group program manager for the ACE Radio Network.

A highlight version of Alan Jones' show is broadcast twice day on ACE radio station 2AY in the Albury-Wodonga area on the border of New South Wales and Victoria. But since Alan Jones' remarks have been made public, Mark Taylor has been inundated.

MARK TAYLOR: We've had such an overwhelming response from our listeners that they don't want us to be a part of that program anymore that we've taken the decision to drop the program immediately.

ANNA HENDERSON: And companies that advertise with 2GB and on the Alan Jones show are also bowing out. According to its Facebook page, Mercedes-Benz will cease advertising with his show and Lexus of Parramatta has taken the same action.

Other companies have either pulled their advertising and sponsorship, or suspended future promotions with the station; among them Freedom Furniture, financial services company Challenger, Woolworths and Coles.

Alan Jones was also slated to address a public rally against coal seam gas in the Tweed area of New South Wales. Organiser Michael McNamara says he has been uninvited.

MICHAEL MCNAMARA: As the organisers of the event, looking at the impact that his presence could have, and I believe would have, on the overall campaign in the Northern Rivers, his continued presence at the event would have focused it on him rather than the issue, and would not in my mind have been a positive for the campaign.

ANNA HENDERSON: Alan Jones made the comments at a Sydney University Liberal Club event. Alan Jones says he thought it was private and didn't know he was being recorded by a journalist.

The Leader of Government Business Anthony Albanese says the comments are appalling, and the links between Alan Jones and the Federal Liberal Party run deep.

ANTHONY ALBANESE: This is a culture that's been nurtured by people like Alan Jones. This is the culture of the modern Liberal Party. We see it in Parliament all the time. We have these debates in Parliament about parliamentary standards.

This is what we are dealing with in terms of a culture of the Liberal Party that says 'anything goes', that engages in personal abuse day in, day out, that is particularly strong in its abuse against women.

ANTHONY ALBANESE: Pathetic. He waited 'til three o'clock in the afternoon to put out a little two-line statement. I don't see the word 'condemn' in there, I don't see any strong words opposing what has occurred.

ANNA HENDERSON: Coalition frontbencher Mitch Fifield says Mr Abbott has made it clear that he repudiates the comments. He's told Sky News the Government's reaction has been offensive.

MITCH FIFIELD: Tony Abbott does not need to apologise for comments he himself did not make.

ANNA HENDERSON: He says Labor is playing its own political game.

MITCH FIFIELD: Seeking to gain political advantage from this awful situation. If they actually cared about a grieving daughter they would not be talking about this; we would all shut up and we would all move on.

ANNA HENDERSON: Alan Jones says he wants to personally apologise to the Prime Minister, but Julia Gillard's office says she doesn't want to take his call.